Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Yes
Label: Frontiers Records
Release: 2011
Rating: 3.5/5
»In The Present – Live From Lyon« is a double live album from the legendary English prog rock forefathers Yes. It was recorded on the »In The Present« tour, where the band introduced two new (now already former) members to the crowd: promising keyboard virtuoso Oliver Wakeman, son of the famous Rick, and Canadian singer Benoit David of the band Mystery. David, who first appeared as the new frontman in 2008, had previously sung in the Yes tribute band Close to the Edge, so picking him was a well-thought-out, carefully planned move. The controversial decision to hit the road without the legendary Jon Anderson at the mic, and with a ‘mockingbird’ in his spot, predictably stirred up quite a bit of negative reaction from longtime fans, since that voice is simply irreplaceable.
Despite that shortcoming, which leaves a bitter aftertaste the whole way through, »In The Present« delivers mostly very good takes on plenty of Yes evergreens. David is a pretty convincing imitator of Jon’s tone, especially when Squire and Howe back him up with harmony vocals, but he lacks Jon’s charisma, so most fans sensed even back then that he wouldn’t last long in Yes. His voice is also pitched a notch lower, but that’s a minor thing considering that Jon Anderson is completely one of a kind with his sky-high warbling. Wakeman, who was replaced just a few months later by returning member Geoff Downes (Asia, ex-The Buggles), covers his legendary father’s keyboard parts satisfactorily, but the difference is still obvious.
»Siberian Khatru« is a fairly predictable opener, since Yes have opened their shows with this »Close To The Edge« (1972) evergreen quite often over the last decade. The »The Yes Album« (1971) standard »I’ve Seen All Good People« is a bit awkwardly placed early in the set, which isn’t the best move for the vibe, almost an anticlimax, since Yes mostly use it for some rather cheap, way-too-quick crowd fire-up and a singalong on the chorus. Much more impressive is a very good version of »Tempus Fugit« from the often overlooked masterpiece »Drama« (1980), where David proves he’s not only a successful imitator of Anderson but of Trevor Horn too. It’s no secret that Anderson didn’t care for playing the »Drama« classics, which the rest of the band quickly took advantage of, putting »Tempus Fugit« and »Machine Messiah« back in the setlist after three decades.
The ethereal ballad »Onward« from the controversial album »Tormato« (1978) also comes off very well and true to the original, mostly thanks to its intense mystical atmosphere, though David’s voice lacks that charismatic interpretive spirit that only Anderson possessed. The psychedelic »Time And a Word« (1970) standard »Astral Traveller« is another pleasant surprise, since it finally made its way back into the Yes setlist after a really long time. The surprise is even bigger because the brilliant but extremely moody guitarist Steve Howe usually vehemently avoids playing Yes material that was originally recorded with another guitarist in the lineup (in this case, original member Peter Banks).
Of all the classics on the first disc, the best is the pacifist epic barnburner »Yours Is No Disgrace«, which was picked as the opening number later in the tour. This time they hit the spirit of the original ‘almost dead on’, with only Anderson’s voice missing to make it perfect. And of course no Yes live album can go without the beloved »Close To The Edge« ‘new age’ epic »And You And I«, where David again does a good job imitating his great role model, but lacks his storyteller’s glow. Howe’s immense ego gets fed during the short solo guitar spot »Corkscrew«, made up of a string of flamenco variations.
The second disc opens with a solid version of the »90125« (1983) mega-hit »Owner Of a Lonely Heart«, where ‘Mr. Owl’ has to get into the much punchier guitar playing of former member Trevor Rabin, with whom this unforgettable eighties evergreen was originally recorded. Though there’s no shortage of typical Howe guitar variations that pull everything away from the original vibe of this longtime MTV staple, as a whole it comes off perfectly satisfying in the end. The takes on three essential »Fragile« (1972) classics, namely »Southside Of The Sky«, »Heart Of The Sunrise« and the big hit »Roundabout«, come off decent, but they’re completely outshone by an even better rendition of the »Drama« masterpiece »Machine Messiah«, which obviously suited this incarnation of Yes down to the ground. For the grand live finale, they wow with a splendid version of the beloved »The Yes Album« epic »Starship Trooper«, yet another standard that can’t be missing from any Yes show.
»In The Present« is a very solid live document on which Yes, ‘beauty flaw’ in the vocals and all, impress with their more-or-less lived-in takes on cult standards from the ‘golden years’. And that’s despite being in the middle of the tough job of working two new members into the established live chemistry of this legendary prog rock band, which over the past year made several strange decisions that split the feelings of its large base of loyal fans right down the middle.
Lineup
Benoit David – lead vocals
Steve Howe – guitar, backing vocals
Chris Squire – bass guitar, backing vocals
Alan White – drums, percussion
Oliver Wakeman – keyboards
Production
Yes
Tracklist
CD1:
1. Siberian Khatru (10:40)
2. I’ve Seen All Good People (7:17)
3. Tempus Fugit (6:06)
4. Onward (4:39)
5. Astral Traveller (8:49)
6. Yours Is No Disgrace (13:23)
7. And You And I (11:27)
8. Corkscrew (3:49)
CD2:
1. Owner Of A Lonely Heart (6:06)
2. South Side Of The Sky (10:44)
3. Machine Messiah (11:42)
4. Heart Of The Sunrise (11:43)
5. Roundabout (9:35)
6. Starship Trooper (13:08)
